Golf: American Reed grabs early lead at WGC Championship

American Patrick Reed seized a one-shot lead after the first round of the weather-hit WGC-Cadillac Championship by firing a four-under 68 on Friday morning.

Reed, who won last year`s Wyndham Championship, has a slim lead over a half dozen others.

Harris English was one of six players that finished round one on Thursday after a lengthy weather delay.

English posted a three-under 69. He shared second place with Matt Kuchar, Jason Dufner, Hunter Mahan, Italy`s Francesco Molinari and Dustin Johnson, who all finished their rounds on Friday morning.

World No.5 Rory McIlroy and Zach Johnson were tied for eighth place at minus-two. They were joined there by England`s Luke Donald, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, and Ryan Moore.

Tiger Woods ran off three straight birdies from the 15th to help salvage a round of four-over 76. Woods won this tournament for the seventh time in 2013.

He was two over after 10 holes when play stopped on Thursday before resuming his opening round on Friday and bogeying the 11th and 13th, then double-bogeying the 14th to fall to six-over par.

Woods bounced back with birdies on the next three holes. He then made bogey on his final hole for a 76.

Reed claimed his second USPGA Tour title earlier this year at the Humana Challenge.

He was minus-three and one of seven players tied for the lead when play was stopped by darkness on Thursday. He birdied the fourth but gave that shot right back with a bogey on the fifth hole Friday morning.

Reed got up and down for birdie on the par-five eighth to grab the lead at four under.

Former champion Nick Watney began with an even-par 72 and of the five ex-winners in the field, he was closest to the lead.